- Homosexuality
- ⚢✔ Legal
- Gay Marriage
- ⚭✖ Banned
- Censorship
- Varies by Region
- Changing Gender
- ✖ Legal, but requires medical diagnosis
- Gender-Affirming Care
- ✔ Legal
- Non-Binary Gender Recognition
- ✖ Not legally recognized
- Discrimination
- ✔ Illegal
- Employment Discrimination
- ✔ Sexual orientation and gender identity
- Housing Discrimination
- ✔ Sexual orientation and gender identity
- Adoption
- ✖ Single only
- Intersex Infant Surgery
- ✖ Not banned
- Military
- ✔ Legal
- Donating Blood
- ✖ Banned (indefinite deferral)
- Conversion Therapy
- ✖ Not banned
- Age of Consent
- ✔ Equal
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Public Opinion
Recent public opinion surveys in Moldova have pointed to a persistence of extremely homophobic attitudes, causing deep concern.
OPPOSE
SUPPORT
History
Homosexual activity in Moldova is legal.
Current status
Since Jul 10, 1995
Legal
Homosexuality was decriminalised in Moldova in 1995 under Law No. 500.
Male illegal, female legal federal law
An article under which sodomy was punishable by imprisonment from 5 to 8 years appeared in the Soviet Criminal Code on March 7, 1934 - number 154-a: “Sexual intercourse between a man and a man (sodomy) - imprisonment for a term of three to five years. Sodomy committed with the use of violence or taking advantage of the dependent position of the victim - imprisonment for a term of five to eight years."
Censorship of LGBT issues in Moldova is varies by region.
Current status
Since May 26, 2022
Varies by Region
In 2022, Gagauzia passed a motion prohibiting media from reporting on LGBTIQ+ topics. The rest of Moldova has no such laws however.
No censorship
- Stînga Nistrului, unitatea teritoriala din 2013
- Anenii Noi 2013
- Basarabeasca 2013
- Briceni 2013
- Bălţi 2013
- Cahul 2013
- Cantemir 2013
- Chisinau 2013
- Cimişlia 2013
- Criuleni 2013
- Călăraşi 2013
- Căuşeni 2013
- Donduşeni 2013
- Drochia 2013
- Dubăsari 2013
- 21 more
State-enforced
Imprisonment as punishment
- Transnistria 2024
Fine as punishment
In 2013, Moldova secretly passed a law banning "propaganda of intimate relations outside of marriage and family" to minors with a fine as punishment. Although the law did not explicitly mention homosexuality, as gay marriage is not provided, it is de facto included in the law.
The law would be repealed months later.
The law would be repealed months later.
No censorship
On February 28th, 2013, the city of Balti overturned its law against "gay propaganda". Since then, there was no known censorship of LGBTIQ+ topics in Moldova until July of that year.
Varies by Region
In 2012, the city of Balti passed a proclamation banning "gay propaganda" to minors, although there were no sanctions attached. It would be overturned the next year.
Right to change legal gender in Moldova is legal, but requires medical diagnosis.
Current status
Since Apr 26, 2001
Legal, but requires medical diagnosis
Transgender people are allowed to change their legal name and gender on official documents in Moldova, but require a psychiatric diagnosis confirming their "transgenderism" to do so.
Gender-affirming care in Moldova is legal.
Current status
Legal
Gender affirming care is legal in Moldova but often difficult to access in practice.
Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Moldova is not legally recognized.
Current status
Not legally recognized
There is no legal recognition provided for nonbinary or intersex people in Moldova.
LGBT discrimination in Moldova is illegal.
Current status
Since Feb 9, 2023
LGBT employment discrimination in Moldova is sexual orientation and gender identity.
Current status
Since Feb 9, 2023
LGBT housing discrimination in Moldova is sexual orientation and gender identity.
Same-sex adoption in Moldova is single only.
Current status
Single only
Moldova only provides adoption to married couples and single parents. Unmarried couples may not adopt.
Intersex infant surgery in Moldova is not banned.
Current status
Not banned federal law
There is no official ban on unnecessary sex reassignment operations in infants in Moldova.
Serving openly in military in Moldova is legal.
Current status
Legal
There are no known laws restricting or banning LGBTIQ+ people from serving in the military in Moldova. However, soldiers can be subject to poor treatment regardless.
Conversion therapy in Moldova is not banned.
Current status
Not banned
Conversion therapy is legal in Moldova but not widely practiced.
LGBT Rights by District
View the LGBT laws in each individual district of Moldova.
- Anenii Noi
- Basarabeasca
- Briceni
- Cahul
- Cantemir
- Cimişlia
- Criuleni
- Călăraşi
- Căuşeni
- Donduşeni
- Drochia
- Dubăsari
- Edinet
- Floreşti
- Făleşti
- Glodeni
- Hînceşti
- Ialoveni
- Leova
- Nisporeni
- Ocniţa
- Orhei
- Rezina
- Rîşcani
- Soroca
- Străşeni
- Sîngerei
- Taraclia
- Teleneşti
- Ungheni
- Şoldăneşti
- Ştefan Vodă
- Bălţi (City)
- Chisinau (City)
- Tighina (City)
- Gagauzia, Unitatea teritoriala autonoma (Autonomous Territorial Unit)
- Transnistria (Region)
- Stînga Nistrului, unitatea teritoriala din (Territorial Unit)
Equality Rank
#183
Interest Rank based on Equaldex traffic ?
Top Contributors
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- maddyksf 1 contribution
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Moldova LGBT Organizations
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